You call me misbeleeuer, cut-throate dog,
And fpet vpon my lewih gaberdine,
And all for vfe of that which is mine owne,
Well then,it now appeares you need my helpe:
Goe to then, you come to me,and you fay,
Shylocke, we would haue monies, you fay fo:
You that did voyd your rume vpon my beard,
And foote me as you fpurne a ftranger curre
Ouer your threshold,money is your fute,
What should I fay to you? Should I not fay,
Hath a dog money? is it poffible

A curre can lend three thoufand ducats? or
Shall I bend low,and in a bond-mans key,
With bated breath, and whispring humbleneffe
Say this: Faire fir,you fpet on me on wendsday laft,
You fpurn'd me fuch a day another time,
You call'd me dog: and for these curtefies
Ile lend you thus much monies.

Ant.I am as like to call thee fo againe,
To fpet on thee againe,to fpurne thee to.
Ifthou wilt lend this money,lend it not
As to thy friends, for when did friendship take
A breed for barren mettall of his friend?
But lend it rather to thine enemy,

Who if he breake, thou maift with better face
Exact the penalty.

Shy. Why looke you how you ftorme,

I would be friends with you, and haue your loue,
Forget the fhames that you haue ftain'd me with,
Supply your prefent wants,and take no doyte
Of vfance for my monies,and you'l not heare me,
This is kinde I offer.

Baff. This were kindneffe.

Shy. This kindnesse will I show,

Goe with me to a Notarie,feale me there
Your fingle bond, and in a merry sport,

If you repay me not on fuch a day

Ia fuch a place,fuch fumme or fummes as are
Expreft in the condition,let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equall pound
Of your faire flesh,to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleafeth me.

Ant, Content ifaith,ile feale to such a bond,
And fay there is much kindnesse in the Jew.
Baff. You shall not feale to fuch a bond for me,
lle rather dwell in my neceffity.

An,Why feare not man, I will not forfet it,
Within these two months,that's a month before
This bond expires, I do expect returne
Of thrice three times the value of this bond.

Shy.O father Abram, what thefe Chriftians are,
Whofe owne hard dealings teaches them fufpect
The thoughts of others: pray you tell me this,
If he should breake his day, what fhould I gaine
By the exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of mans flesh taken from a man,
Is not fo eftimable,profitable neyther
As flesh of Muttons, Beefes,or Goats, Ifay,
To buy his fauour, I extend this friendship,
If he will take it fo,if not adiew,

And for my loue, I pray you wrong me not.

Ant. Yes Shylocke, I will feale vnto this bond.
Shy.Then meete me forthwith at the Noteries,

Giue him direction for this merry bond,
And I will goe and purfe the ducats straight,
See to my houfe,left in the fearefull guard
Of an vnthrifty knaue; and presently

Ile be with you.

Exit.

Ant.Hie thee gentle lew: the Hebrew will turne Christian,

he growes fo kinde.

Baff.I like not faire termes, and a villaines minde,
Ant.Come on,in this there can be no difmay.

My

My fhips come home a month before the day..

Exeunt

Enter Morochusa tawny Moore all in white, and three or
foure followers accordingly, with Portia,
Nerriffa,& their traine.

Moroc. Miflike me not for my complexion,
The fhadowed liuery of the burnifht funne,
To whom I am a neighbour, and neere bred.
Bring the fairest creature North-ward borne,
VVhere Phoebus fire fcarfe thawes the yficles,
And let vs make incifion for your louc,
To proue whose blood is reddeft, his or mine.
I tell thee Lady, this aspect of mine

Hath fear'd the valiant (by my Loue I fweare)
The best regarded virgins of our clime

Hath lou'd it too: I would not change this hue,
Except to steale your thoughts my gentle Queene.
Por. In termes of choife I am not foly led

By nice direction of a maydens eyes.
Befides, the Lottry of my deftiny

Barres me the right of voluntary choofing:

But if my father had not scanted me,

And hedg'd me by his wit, to yeeld my selfe

His wife, who winnes me by that meanes I told you,
Your felfe (renowned Prince) than ftood as faire
As any commer I haue look'd on yet,

For my affection.

Mor. Euen for that I thanke you,

Therefore I pray you leade me to the Caskets
To try my fortune. By this Semitaur
That flew the Sophy, and a Perfian Prince,
That wonne three fields of Sultan Solyman,
I would out-ftare the fterneft eyes that looket
Out-braue the heart moft daring on the earth:
Plucke the yong fucking Cubs from the fhee-Beare,
C

Yea,

Yea, mocke the Lyon when he rores for prey,
To win the Lady. But alas, the while
If Hercules and Lyckas play at dice

Which is the better man, the greater throw
May turne by fortune from the weaker hand:
So is Alcides beaten by his rage,

And fo may I, blinde fortune leading mee,
Miffe that which one vnworthier may attaine,
And dye with greeuing.

Portia. You must take your chance,

And either not attempt to choofe at all,
Or fwear before you choofe,if you choose wrong,
Neuer to fpeake to Lady afterward

In way of marriage, therefore be ad uifde.

Mor.Nor will not, come bring me to my chance Por. First forward to the Temple, after dinner Your hazard fhall be made.

Mor. Good fortune then,

To make me bleft,or curfedit among men.

Enter the Clowne alone.

Exeunt.

Clowne. Certainly, my confcience will ferue me to run from this lew my mafter. The fiend is at mine elbow,and tempts me faying to mee, Gobbo, Lancelet Gobbo, good Lancelet, or good Gobbo, or good Lancelet Gobbo, vle your legges, take the starte, runne away: My Confcience fayes no; take heed honeft Lancelet, take heede honeft Gobbo, or as aforefaide, honeft Launcelet Gobbo, do not runne, fcorne running with thy heeles. Well, the moft couragious fiend bids me packe. fia fayes the fiend, away fayes the fiend, for the heauens roufe vp a braue mind fayes the fiend, and runne. Well, my confcience hanging about the neck of my heart, fayes very wifely to me; My honeft friend Lancelet, being an honeft mans fonne, or rather an honeft womans fonne, for indeede my Father did fomething fmack, fomething grow too, he had a kinde of tafte: well, my confcience fayes

bouge

bouge not; bouge faies the fiend; bouge not fayes my Confcience. Confcience fay I you counfell well; Fiend fay I you counfell ill. To be rul'd by my Confcience, I fhould ftay with the Iew my mafter, who (God bleffe the marke) isa kinde of diuell; and to runne away from the Iew, I fhould be rul'de by the fiend, who (fauing your reuerence) is the Diuell himselfe. Certainly the Iew is the very diuell incarnall,and in my conscience, my confcience is but a kinde of hard confcience, to offer to counfell me to ftay with the Iew. The fiende giues the more friendly counfaile, I will run fiend, my heeles are at your command, I will run.

Enter old Gobbo with a Basket.

Gobbo.Mafter yong man, you I pray you, which is the way to Mafter lewes?

Lance. O heauens, this is my true begotten Father, who be ing more then fand blind, high grauell blinde, knowes me not, I will try conclufions with him.

Gobbo. Mafter yong Gentleman, I pray you which is the way to mafter Iewes?

Lance. Turne vp on your right hand at the next turning, but at the next turning of all on your left; marry at the verie nexte turning turne of no hand, but turne downe indirectly vnto the Iewes house.

Gobbo. Be Gods fonties twill bee a hard way to hit, can you tell me whither one Lancelet that dwels with him, dwell with him, or no?

Lancelet. Talke you of young mafter Lancelet? Marke mee now, now will I raife the waters:

Talke you of yong M. Lancelet?

Gobbo. No mafter fir, but a poore mans fonne.

His Father (though I fay it)

Is an honeft exceeding poore man,

And God be thanked, well to liue.

Lancelet. Well let his Father be what a will, we talk of yong

Ca

mafter